Chocolate Cupcakes

I am on a cupcake kick. I've always loved them - they're so cute and individual - but I'm especially into them at the moment. Possibly because we sell them at Starbucks so I see/sell them almost every day? Plus I know that mine are better, hehe. So on Sunday I made red velvet cupcakes that were so last minute, and so delicious, they didn't last long enough for me to take pictures of. Today I made chocolate ones with vanilla icing, and they are almost as awesome. These are the ones you will see/hear about today.

In Defense of Cake Mixes

 Fast food is popular for a reason... not that McDonald's necessarily makes a better burger than you can at home on your barbeque (obviously!), but that they're cheaper, easier, and foolproof. By the same token, cake mixes can be incredibly valuable. Tonight I just wanted to make a cake. I don't feel like eating it, I don't have anyone to share it with until tomorrow or the next day, but I don't care... just wanted to slab some pretty coloured icing on a cake and squiggle on some decoration.

So here we go... a 6" round French Vanilla Betty Crocker cake mix, with purple-tinted vanilla icing from a can! Luckily cutting a cake mix in 1/3 is pretty easy... 1/3 of the mix, 100mL of milk/water, 25mL of oil, and 1 egg. Done! A quick mix and I walk away, and come back to a perfect cake, ready for me to ruin with icing doodles.

Cakes

I have always loved making cakes, but have especially gotten into it over the last year. It went from being something I thoroughly enjoyed doing for special occasions to being something I now do just for fun and to relieve stress. Luckily no one complains about having extra cake! I've been meaning to post these for a while, so read on after the jump for the the pictures of cakes.

Carrot Muffins, and More Christmas Presents

Carrot muffins are a weakness of mine, carrot cake one of my favourite treats... with or without cream cheese frosting, and especially with walnuts, I am a sucker for a good bite of carrot-y deliciousness. It's also one of my favourite things to make, so when boyfriend commented I had no good breakfast food on hand I immediately decided that this is what I would make to accomodate him, and indulge myself. I also was looking for a chance to display some of the beautiful new plates my sister got me for Christmas. So voila - carrot muffins! (Recipe after the jump)

Birthday Baking

Wednesday was boyfriend's 24th birthday, so you know what that means... birthday cake! Also, with my beautiful shiny new mixer, I decided cake from scratch and delicious buttercream icing were both in order. So boyfriend got a 6" double layered dark chocolate buttermilk cake with chocolate buttercream and caramel ganache. There was also what was supposed to be caramel buttercream in the middle... but that ended up more like a weird butterscotch fudge and we'll just pretend it didn't happen, because the rest of the cake was oh-so-good.

Baking Catch-Up

So although the blog has been quiet, my kitchen has not. Well, quieter than it sometimes is... but you get the point. So here's where I get you up to speed, completely with pictures and blurbs and all that fun stuff. Shall we go chronologically? I think we shall. (After the jump!)

Had a Holly Jolly Christmas...

It's been a while, but I'm back.. hopefully with a vigor this time! Hope you all had a very happy holiday season... I sure did! First I will sum up my holidays, and my newfound motivation to bake, in one picture. Next, in a future post, I will get the ball rolling with recent baking adventures! Yay!